Paper tape supply

ABSTRACT

A paper tape supply for drawing paper tape off a supply roll including a flatted pressure roll adapted to have a nip with a feed roll on peripheral surfaces of the pressure roll exclusive of its flat, to grip the tape in the nip of the rolls. A trip lever holds the pressure roll with its flat opposite the feed roll to release the paper tape, and a leaf spring acts on the pressure roll and tends to move it against the trip lever. As an outgoing loop of tape from the rolls shortens, it releases the trip lever with respect to the pressure roll to allow the leaf spring to rotate the pressure roll into its nipped relation with the feed roll to draw the tape off the supply roll and lengthen the outgoing loop of the tape.

United States Patent 1 1 [111 3,804,312 Lagergren Apr. 16, 1974 PAPERTAPE SUPPLY Primary Examiner-Richard A. Schacher h Ed [75] inventor221:2; er SEK Attorney, Agent, or FirmKeith T. Bleuer [73] Assignee:International Business Machines [57] ABSTRACT Corporatlon Armonk A papertape supply for drawing paper tape off a sup- [22] Filed: -May 18, 1973ply roll including a flatted pressure roll adapted to have a nip with afeed roll on peripheral surfaces of [21] Appl 361712 the pressure rollexclusive of its flat, to grip the tape in the nip of the rolls. A triplever holds the pressure roll [52] US. Cl 226/35, 226/44, 226/117, withits flat pp h f roll to release he paper 226/154 tape, and a leaf springacts on the pressure roll and ['51] Int. Cl B65h 17/20 tends to move i ginst h rip lever. As an outgoing [58] Fi ld f S h 226/3 5 44, 1 17, 154,155 loop of tape from the rolls shortens, it releases the trip leverwith respect to the pressure roll to allow the leaf [56] Refere Cit dspring to rotate the pressure roll into its nipped rela- UNITED STATESPATENTS tion with the feed roll to draw the tape off the supply3,625,447 12 1971 Hank 226/44 and lengthen the Outgomg loop of the tape3,700,152 l0/l972 Warren 226/54 6 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PAPER TAPESUPPLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to tapesupplies and more particularly to mechanisms for drawing paper tape offa supply roll.

It is important in connection with some tape processing machines, suchas tape printers, for example, that the tape be supplied substantiallyno drag to the operating mechanism, such as the printing mechanism perse, so that the operating mechanism may function uniformly andsatisfactorily. Tape is commonly carried in roll form on a mandrel; and,particularly when the supply rolls of tape are quite large in diameterand weighty, substantial force is required for unreeling the tape.Previous mechanisms have been proposed for drawing the paper tape off asupply roll for subsequent processing, such as, for example, magnetdriven feed and pressure rolls, under such electrical control that thetape is fed off the supply roll at the same average speed as the tape isprocessed by the subsequent mechanism; however, such tape mechanism,including the necessary controls, is relatively expensive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention toprovide an improved tape supply which is relatively simple andinexpensive and provides tape for subsequent processing in a positivelycontrolled manner.

More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to providean improved tape supply which draws tape off of a supply roll as thetape is required for subsequent processing, with a loop of the tapebeing effective to unlatch power driven mechanism for pulling the tapeoff its supply roll. The subsequent processing of the tape is then doneonly against the impeding action of a loose loop of the tape located inthe path of tape travel just subsequent to this power driven mechanism.

In a preferred form, the tape supply of the invention includes apressure roll having a flat on its periphery which is located stationaryat times just opposite to a feed roll. When the pressure roll is rotatedslightly to bring its cylindrical peripheral surface opposite the feedroll, there is a resulting nip between the two rolls for drawing papertape or the like ofi a supply roll against the relatively large impedingforce caused by rotation of the supply roll located on a supportingmandrel. The pressure roll is held in its position with the flat locatedopposite the feed roll, so that there is no driving action by the tworolls on the tape, by the action of a trip lever; and a leaf spring iseffective on the pressure roll tending to rotate it against the actionof the trip lever. The tape subsequent to the two rolls in the tape pathmakes a loop; and, as this loop decreases in length, the loop trips thetrip lever, allowing the leaf spring to rotate the pressure rollslightly to bring its cylindrical peripheral surface into nippedrelationship with respect to the feed roll; to draw the paper tape offthe supply roll in a direction and manner so as to increase in size theloop of the paper tape subsequent to the two rolls.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view of thetape supply of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a top plane view of the tape supply.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, thetape supply may be seen to comprise, in general, a mandrel 10 forholding a roll of paper tape 12 or the like, feed rolls l4 and 16, apressure roll 18 adapted to have a nip with the feed roll 14, a pressureroll 20 having a nip with the feed roll 16 and a trip lever 22 forinitiating rotation of the pressure roll 18.

The mandrel 10 is rotatably mounted with respect to any suitablesupport, and the tape 12 may be unwound simply by pulling it off itsroll with resulting rotation of the mandrel 10. The feed rolls l4 and 16are driven from any suitable prime mover, such as a motor M and a speedreducing transmission T, and the feed roll 14 is thereby driven at afaster peripheral speed than the feed roll 16. A tape guide 24 extendsfrom a place adjacent to the mandrel 10 to the feed roll 16 and is inthe form of a loop and has the roll 14 extending through a slot providedin the guide 24. Another tape guide 26 extends from the periphery of thepressure roll 18 to the pressure roll 20 and is disposed opposite theguide 24 to provide a substantial space 28 between the guides 24 and 26.The pressure roll 20 is disposed on a lever 30 that is actuated by aspring 32 to move the roll 20 toward the feed roll 16 so as to have apressure nip with the roll 16.

A flat 34 is provided on the pressure roll 18, and studs 36 and 38 areprovided on opposite ends of the roll 18. A leaf spring 40 which isfixed at one end is adapted to bear against the stud 36. The leaf spring40 exerts a turning force on the roll 18 in the direction A, with theroll 18 being in its position shown in FIG. 1 and with the flat 34 beingdirectly opposite the feed roll 14', since the stud 36, on which thespring 40 is bearing, is to the right of the center of rotation of theroll 18 under these conditions. The trip lever 22 is swingably mountedat one end on a pin 42 and is provided with an abutment surface 44 onits other end which is adapted to be in abutting relationship withrespect to the stud 38. The lever 22 has a downwardly depending arm 46which extends into the space 28 between the guides 24 and 26 and whichhas a curved surface 48 on its lower extremity.

When the paper tape supply is in operation, the roll 20 has a pressurenip with the feed roll 16 so that the tape 12 is fed in the direction Bbetween the rolls l6 and 20. The tape 12 may then be operated on by anysuitable mechanism, such as a printer (not shown), for example. The roll18 may be assumed to be in its illustrated disposition, with the flat 34located opposite the roll 14; and the roll 14 therefore exerts nopropelling force on the tape 12 at this time. The leaf spring 40 bearson the stud 36, tending to rotate the roll 18 in the direction A;however, this rotation is prevented by the trip lever 22 which is in itsillustrated position and has the stud 38 bearing against the abutmentsurface 44 on the end of the lever 22.

As the rolls l6 and 20 continue to propel the tape 12 in the directionB, and with no driving effect being exe'rted by the rolls l4 and 18 onthe tape 12; the paper tape 12 is in the form of a loop within the space28 which continuously becomes shorter, approaching the guide 26.Eventually, the loop of tape 12 within the space becomes so short thatthe tape moves against the lower curved surface 48 of the lever 22 andswings the lever 22 upwardly so as to disengage the lever with respectto the stud 38. At this time, the leaf spring 40 is effective on thestud 36 to rotate the roll 18 slightly to move the flat 34 out of facingrelationship with respect to the feed roll 14; and, as the cylindricalouter surface of the roll 18 comes opposite the roll 14 due to the forcefrom spring 40, the roll 18 with this cylindrical surface has a pressurenip with the roll 14. The roll 18 then continues to rotate with the roll14, and the rolls 14 and 18 grip the tape 12 between them and move thetape 12 into the space 28 to have a greater loop within the space 28. Asthe roll 18 completes its movement in the direction A to again bring theflat 34 opposite the feed roll 14, the tape 12 has been moved into thespace 28 to such an extent that it has a loop adjacent the guide 24. itwill be understood that the peripheral speed of the roll 16 isconsiderably less than that of the roll 14 so that this relatively largeloop of the tape 12 forms at this time in the space 28. During thistime, the roll 18 is driven in the direction A by virtue of its pressurenip with the feed roll 14; and, as the roll 18 completes its 360 ofrotation, the stud 36 moves underneath the leaf spring 40 and flexes thespring upwardly (away from the center of rotation of roll 18), andeventually the stud 36 is again in its illustrated position at the endof the 360 movement of the roll 18. As the loop of tape 12 lengthenswithin the space 28, the tape 12 comes out of engagement with the curvedsurface 48 of the lever 22; and the lever 22 drops back into itsillustrated position. Therefore, as the roll 18 completes its 360 ofrotation, the stud 38 again abuts against the surface 44 of the lever 22so that the lever 22 again holds the roll 18 against any furtherrotation in the direction A under the impetus of the spring 40.

[t is thus apparent that the tape 12 is fed by the rolls l6 and 18against only the negligible force required to move the tape 12 from alarger loop in the space 28 to a smaller loop. When the loop of tape 12within the space 28 becomes sufficiently short, with the feed roll 14being inoperative at this time to move the tape 12 forwardly into thespace 28, the relatively short length of tape loop trips the largepressure roll 18 by moving the lever 22 upwardly against only arelatively light trip lever force which has no disrupting effect on thetape 12 passing between the rolls 16 and 20. The force required to movethe lever 22 upwardly out of latching engagement with the stud 38 isrelatively light, since the stud 38 bears on the lever abutment surface44 only with a force derived from the relatively light leaf spring 40which in its illustrated position is flexed only slightly. The rolls l6and 20, due to this mechanism, never are required to pull the tape 12from its roll on the mandrel which requires a relatively large force andwhich could be expected to disrupt to some extent the forward motion ofthe tape between the rolls l6 and with a consequent disruption of thesubsequent operation on the tape, such as a printing operation.

The tape supply allows paper tape or the like, or perforated tags inroll form, to be fed uniformly and without a restriction which could bedue to the force required to rotate a mandrel with a roll of the tapethereon, whereby subsequent operations on the tape may be uniformlymade. The tape supply is a relatively simple mechanical device which isconsiderably less expensive than alternatives, such as a magnet drivenfeed and pressure roll, suitably controlled, for pulling paper from aspool.

I claim:

1. A tape supply mechanism including first and second tape feed rolls,pressure means providing a pressure nip with respect to each of saidfeed rolls so that the feed rolls propel the tape passing across them,

means for driving both of said feed rolls and the driving means beingarranged to drive said first feed roll at a faster peripheral speed thansaid second feed roll, said pressure means for said first feed rollincluding a pressure roll having a flat thereon,

spring means effective to rotate said pressure roll to move its flat outof registry or out of a position opposite with respect to said firstfeed roll so as to move the pressure roll from a position in which ithas no driving relationship with respect to said tape to a nippedrelationship with respect to said first feed roll in which the pressureroll and feed roll propel the tape, and

latching means for holding said pressure roll in a position with itsflat opposite said first feed roll with no driving engagement betweenthe pressure roll and said tape and being under the control of a loop ofthe paper tape between said first and second feed rolls to be unlatchedwhen the loop decreases in length to a predetermined length so as tothen allow said spring means to rotate said pressure rolls into nippedrelation with said first feed roll so that the pressure roll is theneffective with respect to said first feed roll to propel the tape towardsaid second feed roll.

2. A tape supply mechanism as set forth in claim 1, said spring meanseffective on said pressure roll including a leaf spring fixed at one endand located adjacent to one end of said pressure roll and a stud carriedby the pressure roll acted on by said spring so that the spring tends torotate the pressure roll to move its flat out of registry with respectto said first feed roll.

3. A tape supply mechanism as set forth in claim 2, said latching meansincluding a trip lever located on one side of said pressure roll and astud carried by the pressure roll adapted to engage with one end of thelever, the loop of tape between said two feed rolls being effective onsaid trip lever so as to move the trip lever out of abuttingrelationship with respect to said last named stud to allow said springto rotate the pressure roll to move said flat out of registry withrespect to said first feed roll.

4. A tape supply mechanism as set forth in claim 1, said pressure meansfor said second feed roll including a pressure roll having a nippedrelationship with respect to said second feed roll.

5. A tape supply mechanism as set forth in claim 1, said pressureapplying means for said second feed roll including a pressure roll, saidlatching means including a trip lever located on one side of saidflatted pressure roll and a stud fixed with respect to said flattedpressure roll and adapted to engage said trip lever when said flat islocated opposite said first feed roll and the trip lever being undercontrol of a loop of tape between said feed rolls to be tripped withrespect to said stud when the loop of tape decreases to saidpredetermined length.

6. A tape supply mechanism as set forth in claim 5, said spring meansincluding a leaf spring located on one feed roll for feeding the tapeand the end of said leaf spring bearing on said second stud and holdingsaid first named stud against said trip lever with said flat locatedopposite said first feed roll.

1. A tape supply mechanism including first and second tape feed rolls,pressure means providing a pressure nip with respect to each of saidfeed rolls so that the feed rolls propel the tape passing across them,means for driving both of said feed rolls and the driving means beingarranged to drive said first feed roll at a faster peripheral speed thansaid second feed roll, said pressure means for said first feed rollincluding a pressure roll having a flat thereon, spring means effectiveto rotaTe said pressure roll to move its flat out of registry or out ofa position opposite with respect to said first feed roll so as to movethe pressure roll from a position in which it has no drivingrelationship with respect to said tape to a nipped relationship withrespect to said first feed roll in which the pressure roll and feed rollpropel the tape, and latching means for holding said pressure roll in aposition with its flat opposite said first feed roll with no drivingengagement between the pressure roll and said tape and being under thecontrol of a loop of the paper tape between said first and second feedrolls to be unlatched when the loop decreases in length to apredetermined length so as to then allow said spring means to rotatesaid pressure rolls into nipped relation with said first feed roll sothat the pressure roll is then effective with respect to said first feedroll to propel the tape toward said second feed roll.
 2. A tape supplymechanism as set forth in claim 1, said spring means effective on saidpressure roll including a leaf spring fixed at one end and locatedadjacent to one end of said pressure roll and a stud carried by thepressure roll acted on by said spring so that the spring tends to rotatethe pressure roll to move its flat out of registry with respect to saidfirst feed roll.
 3. A tape supply mechanism as set forth in claim 2,said latching means including a trip lever located on one side of saidpressure roll and a stud carried by the pressure roll adapted to engagewith one end of the lever, the loop of tape between said two feed rollsbeing effective on said trip lever so as to move the trip lever out ofabutting relationship with respect to said last named stud to allow saidspring to rotate the pressure roll to move said flat out of registrywith respect to said first feed roll.
 4. A tape supply mechanism as setforth in claim 1, said pressure means for said second feed rollincluding a pressure roll having a nipped relationship with respect tosaid second feed roll.
 5. A tape supply mechanism as set forth in claim1, said pressure applying means for said second feed roll including apressure roll, said latching means including a trip lever located on oneside of said flatted pressure roll and a stud fixed with respect to saidflatted pressure roll and adapted to engage said trip lever when saidflat is located opposite said first feed roll and the trip lever beingunder control of a loop of tape between said feed rolls to be trippedwith respect to said stud when the loop of tape decreases to saidpredetermined length.
 6. A tape supply mechanism as set forth in claim5, said spring means including a leaf spring located on one side of saidpressure roll and fixed on one end and a second stud carried by saidpressure roll and adapted to engage said leaf spring and move the leafspring away from the center of rotation of said flatted pressure roll assaid flatted pressure roll rotates along with said feed roll for feedingthe tape and the end of said leaf spring bearing on said second stud andholding said first named stud against said trip lever with said flatlocated opposite said first feed roll.